MEGA LIST: What to do in Tasmania this summer

Regardless of whether you like to spend lazy summer days sprawled on the beach, or prefer getting sweaty at a music festival here’s all the events on Tasmania’s summer calendar. LIST >>

Summer may look and feel a little different in Tasmania this year. But one thing the coronavirus pandemic doesn’t have an impact on is the weather. And summer is the best time to get out and enjoy all the things that make Tasmania great. Regardless of whether you like to spend lazy summer days sprawled on the beach, or prefer more active pursuits like embarking on bushwalks, taking scenic day trips to check out the latest cafes, restaurants, wineries and distilleries or attending one of the many major events that mark Tasmania’s summer calendar, we have your entertainment needs covered. From children’s activities and the best ice cream and fish and chip offerings to watching the Sydney to Hobart boats arrive or rocking out to Timmy Trumpet at Party in the Yard, there’s plenty of fun to be had across Tasmania from now until the end of February. The hardest part is deciding what to do first.

Taste of Summer

The Taste is back at PW1 – an old favourite under new management. More than 80 Tasmanian food and drink producers and 200 performing artists will come together between December 28 and January 3. The ticketed event runs daily from noon. Tickets are $16.25 (free for kids 12 and under). The event also features FlightNYE2021, an aviation-inspired celebration set for take off from 6pm on December 31. Opt for general admission entry or book a table in the platinum marquee featuring a four-course meal, paired with Tasmanian wines and cocktails. Tickets from $71.65. tasteofsummer.com.au

Leo Miller of Tavern 42 Degrees South, Nic Whyte of Art Processors and Jarrod Nation of The Taste of Summer at Tavern 42 Degrees South. An online ticketing wait queue system has been set up for The Taste of Summer festival so people don't have to wait in queues to enter the festival. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

New Year’s Eve

Rude Boy

You can also bring in 2022 with food, cocktails, tropical vibes and plenty of feathers, sequins and glitter at Rude Boy’s New Year’s Eve Carnival. Patrons are encouraged to “dress to party” and “dance away another year” at the event, which runs in two seatings – 5pm-8pm ($80 per person) and 8.30pm-1am ($120 per person). Tickets include an arrival cocktail, four courses of share plates, discounted drinks, DJs and champagne for the countdown to midnight (rudeboyhobart.com.au).

Andrew "Pappy" Papadakis and Lily Williams of Rude Boy who are hosting a NYE party with a Carnival theme to bring in 2022. Picture: Chris Kidd

Institut Polaire

Institut Polaire will be open from 4pm until late for drinks & limited snacks (walk-ins only) and will also host a 7pm seafood dinner for $150 per person (institutpolaire.com.au).

Launceston Beerfest at Royal Park

In the state’s north, beer lovers can welcome 2022 at Launceston Beerfest at Royal Park. A day session (with a focus on family entertainment) runs from 11am-3.30pm, while the evening session runs from 5pm-12.30am and features two fireworks shows plus live music, comedy and masterclasses. Tickets from $18.08 adults, $12.97 for kids aged 2-17 (eventbrite.com.au).

Comedy at the Casino

Get the last laugh on 2021 and enjoy comedy at Wrest Point. There are two New Year’s Eve shows –Comedy at the Casino at 7pm ($32 plus booking fee) and 2021: The Last Laugh at 10pm ($49 plus booking fee, discounts for groups of six or more), featuring Victoria’s Daniel Connell and a line-up of talented local comedians.

The venue will also be hosting Viva Wrest Point– bringing Elvis, showgirls and all-things Vegas to Hobart for New Year’s Eve. There will be a Vegas-style buffet ($60 adults, $35 kids under 12) and live music at the Birdcage, Level One/The Green Room and the Casino Bar (wrestpoint.com.au).

New Years Eve celebrations at the Hobart waterfront. Taste of Tasmania The Children's fireworks are pictured at 9.30pm from the top of the Marine Board Building.

Fireworks

Not into themed events? Consider making a dinner reservation at one of the waterfront eateries with a good vantage point for the fireworks like T42, The Glass House (which has three sittings on New Year’s Eve), or Hotel Grand Chancellor’s Restaurant Tasman. If you prefer to avoid crowds consider watching the fireworks from Mt Nelson Lookout, Rosny Hill Lookout or take a midnight stroll across the Tasman Bridge.

After party celebrations

If you want the new year celebrations to continue, head to Triabunna’s Spring Bay Mill on January 2 for Hair of the Dog. The family-friendly event runs from noon-5pm and encourages visitors to rejuvenate with the soulful sounds of ten-piece reggae fusion band Boil Up and DJ MVMC, while enjoying cocktails and refreshing juices and feasting on local pork and lamb on the spit as well as produce platters from the on-site garden and vegetarian options. Tickets are $25 adults, $20 concession, $10 for kids under 12. springbaymill.com

On Tap

Deep South Brewing Co

In addition to BeerFest, beer lovers should check out the new Deep South Brewing Co in Argyle St where pizza and share plates are served along with beers with Tassie-inspired monikers like Pedra, Uncharted, and Sharksjaw (deepsouthbrewing.co).

Margherita Pizza. Picture : Mireille Merlet

Miners Gold Brewery

Miners Gold Brewery at Beaconsfield is also a great summer hangout, with an outdoor beer deck and burgers, loaded fries and other snacks that go perfectly with the beers on tap (minersgold.com.au).

Miners Gold Brewery is opening in Beaconsfield within the 19thC building that was once home to the local gold mine's engineer.

Summer spirits

Gin seems to be the in thing this summer and for good reason – Tasmanian distillers make some of the best spirits on the market. William McHenry, Brocken Spectre, The Spendid Gin and Hellfire Bluff Distillery are among the locals producing a Summer Gin, with Hellfire creating “a complex, contemporary gin crafted with some quintessentially Tasmanian ingredients that have been beautifully balanced to bring through lifted floral notes’’. Key botanicals include brown boronia flower, Tasmanian leatherwood honey, Tasmanian mountain pepperberries and sarsaparilla root and it’s best served neat over ice or with soda and a citrus garnish.

Gerri Cooper and Hayley Crichton both of Hobart enjoying Gin-uary. Gin-uary Tasmanian Gin Festival at The Goods Shed. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

More than 50 Tasmanian gins will be showcased at Ginuary at The Goods Shed with three sessions across January 8 and 9. Tickets from $65 (ginuaryhobart.com.au).

Spirit lovers should also check out the Urban Cocktail Trail in Hobart on January 22. Wander between eight of the city’s best bars and enjoy signature cocktails from 1-5pm. Venues include Aura, La Sardina Loca, Tesoro and Grinners Dive Bar. Tickets are $75 plus booking fee (urbancocktailtrail.com).

If you can’t wait until January for your cocktail fix visit Society Salamanca this month where Christmas cocktails are being served including The Pavlova, a cocktail version of everyone’s favourite festive dessert (societysalamanca.com).

McHenry's Distillery owner William McHenry at today's launch of the 2018 Tasmanian Trade Mission to Asia. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE.

You can also become a distiller for a day at a gin-making workshop – McHenry Distillery (mchenrydistillery.com.au) and Forty Spotted Gin Bar (ginbarhobart.com) both run masterclasses.

Hobart’s newest cocktail bar and spirits library, Mary Mary, is also worth a look – it’s part of the Tasman luxury hotel on the corner of Murray and Davey St.

Markets

Hobart may be famous for Saturday’s Salamanca Market (8.30am-3pm – salamancamarket.com.au), but there are plenty of other summer offerings. Find a grassy spot overlooking the water at the Hobart Twilight Market at Sandy Bay’s Long Beach which runs on the first and third Friday of the month until the end of March between 4.30pm-9pm (Summer market dates – January 7 and 21, February 4 and 18). The market also runs at Brooke St Pier on the last Friday or the month (except December), with markets on January 28 and February 25 (hobarttwilightmarket.com.au).

Hobart Twilight Market, Brooke St Pier. For TasWeekend Notebook. Supplied.

Meanwhile the Tasmanian Produce Market, which recently celebrated its first birthday, runs from 9am-1pm at the Kangaroo Bay foreshore(tasmanianproducemarket.com.au). Hobart’s Farm Gate Market (Sunday 8.30am-1pm, farmgatemarket.com.au) and Launceston’s Harvest Market (Saturday 8.30am-12.30pm, harvestmarket.org.au) are great for stocking up on seasonal produce, as well as Bream Creek Farmers Market on the first Sunday of every month from 9am-1pm (breamcreekfarmersmarket.com.au). Regular markets are held in Tasmanian towns including Judbury, Collinsvale, New Norfolk, Cygnet and Sorell. Visit Markets Tasmania on Facebook for details. Note: some markets require masks to be worn, others don’t (and this could change in coming weeks) so please check individual websites for details.

Hobart Twilight Market. Supplied.

Sporting Action

Summer is a great time to be a sports fan in Hobart. Maybe you enjoy watching Sydney to Hobart boats come ashore? Maybe you like being deep among the crowds watching Big Bash cricketers smash boundaries at Blundstone Arena? Or maybe you prefer to frock up and have a flutter on the horses? Make sure you put these dates in your diary.

Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is one of the world’s most gruelling ocean races and has been running since 1945. The race begins at 1pm on Boxing Day and Constitution Dock is a popular spot to watch boats cross the finish line a couple of days later. For a less-crowded vantage point consider watching the flotilla from Blinking Billy Point at Sandy Bay, Rosny Hill Lookout or Kangaroo Bluff (rolexsydneyhobart.com).

Sydney Hobart Yacht Race winner Wild Oats on the River Derwent at the finish of the 2017 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race in Hobart, Wednesday, December 27, 2017. (AAP Image/Rob Blakers)

The Royal Hobart Regatta (February 12-14) will provide three days of continuous activity on the River Derwent, Queens Domain and the skies above (royalhobartregatta.com). There will be more action on the water at the Sandy Bay Regatta on Australia Day (January 26) at Long Beach (sandybayregatta.com.au).

Cricket lovers should get tickets for Big Bash matches at Blundstone Arena on December 24 and 27 and January 1 and 17, with a game scheduled at Launceston’s University of Tasmania Stadium on January 10. Tickets from $23 for adults, $8 for kids and $50 for families. hobarthurricanes.com.au. There’s also plenty of excitement about Hobart hosting the fifth Ashes Test at Blundstone Arena from January 14-18 – making cricket history for Tasmania.

HOBART, AUSTRALIA - DECEMBER 03: General View during the round one NBL match between Tasmania Jackjumpers and Brisbane Bullets at MyState Bank Arena on December 03, 2021, in Hobart, Australia. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

Tasmania’s newest NBL team, Tasmania JackJumpers, play throughout summer, including matches at MyState Bank Arena on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Tickets (which start from $30 adults, $15 kids, or $77 per family) are scarce for early round matches but others are yet to be released (jackjumpers.com.au).

Horseracing enthusiasts can enjoy a packed summer carnival featuring the Devonport Cup (January 5), Hobart Cup (February 13) and Launceston Cup (February 23). summerofracing.com.au

For the Kids

One of the best things about summer in Tasmania is the wealth of delicious locally grown fruit. Peaches, apricots, raspberries and cherries are seasonal favourites and there are plenty of places to pick your own – check out Sorell Fruit Farm (facebook.com/SorellFruitFarm), Richmond’s Littlewood Berry Farm (facebook.com/LittlewoodPickYourOwnStrawberries) and nearby Coal River Farm (coalriverfarm.com.au), Westerway Raspberry Farm (lanoma.com.au) in the Derwent Valley, Hillwood Berry Farm (hillwoodberryfarm.com.au) near Launceston and Berry Patch at Turners Beach (theberrypatch.com.au).

A school holiday trip to the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens is always fun and summer brings the added option of alfresco theatre with Big Monkey’s new show, Treasure Island, running from January 4-23 (no performances on Mondays). Tickets are $30 adults, $22 concession, $15 children (bigmonkey.com.au)

The Tasmania JackJumpers have inspired a new generation of basketballers and the best place to practice this summer is at Swisherr Hoops Academy, inside the former K & D building in Hobart’s CBD. Open daily – casual visits for kids start from just $5. swisherr.com

HOBART, AUSTRALIA - DECEMBER 03: Sam McDaniel of the Jackjumpers drives to the key during the round one NBL match between Tasmania Jackjumpers and Brisbane Bullets at MyState Bank Arena on December 03, 2021, in Hobart, Australia. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

After a couple of postponements due to covid, Bluey’s Big Play stageshow is scheduled to visit Launceston (January 6) and Hobart (January 8 & 9). Tickets are $56.93 (events.bluey.tv).

Nothing says “summer holidays” like a day trip that involves a boat ride to an island paradise, so take a ferry ride to Bruny Island or Maria Island and explore. Kids will love the wombats and painted cliffs on Maria Island while the lighthouse and The Honey Pot are among the highlights for kids on Bruny.

Kids will love the Art Farm Birchs Bay sculpture trail, a 2km bush track through an alfresco gallery of large-scale, ­contemporary artworks. There are 24 new (temporary) sculptures, in addition to about 25 permanent sculptures. The trail is open year-round from 9am-5pm daily, however the 2021-22 trail ­officially ends on February 6. Entry is $2 per person, $5 family. Dogs on leads are welcome (artfarmbirchsbay.org.au).

Leo Sinkovits 6 of Hobart with Jemima Retallick 4 of Blackmans Bay at the launch of the new children's gallery at TMAG. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

For an indoor option check out Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery’s mapiya lumi children’s gallery – entry is free but bookings are required (tmag.tas.gov.au). Kids will also love summer movies at Village Cinemas – Clifford the Big Red Dog, Sing 2, Boss Baby: Family Business and Encanto will appeal to younger kids, while teens will prefer Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Fish and Chips

Grab takeaway fish and chips and find a sunny picnic spot to enjoy them. Few places do fish better than Fish Frenzy on Hobart’s Waterfront where crispy fillets of battered flathead, flake or blue-eye are served in cardboard cones with perfectly cooked chips. The nearby fish punts and Mures are popular as well. Tasmanian Gourmet Seafoods at Cambridge attracts rave reviews, as does Sandy Bay’s Maning Reef Cafe and Dunalley Fish Market. You can also get amazing fish and chips at The Gulch in Bicheno, at Launceston’s Fraggle’s Fish and Chips and The Fish Van at Triabunna.

Salt and pepper calamari with crunchy herb salad and dipping sauce ($26) from Fish Frenzy. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

Icecream

Nothing says summer (or holidays) like ice cream. Visit the Van Diemens Land Creamery punt at Constitution Dock (they also have a shop at Elizabeth Town in the state’s North West) where there’s a two-scoops-for-the-price-of-one Happy Hour special on Fridays between 4pm-6pm. Our top pick is the lemon curd ice cream. You’ll find impressive looking sundaes at Mures, Valhalla in Moonah and Sweets and Treats at Richmond while Berriedale’s Local Pizza produces spectacular concoctions with names like Build Me Up Buttercup, Eminem, Have You Got Buns Hun? and Mint Monster.

Van Diemens Land Creamery Ice Cream punt on Constitution Dock. Ines Campos with some of their artisan gelato. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE.

On stage

There’s nothing like cool tunes to get you in the mood for summer and 2022 is kicking off with an eclectic soundtrack. Mona Foma comes to both Launceston (January 21-23) and Hobart (January 28-30) featuring homegrown talent and acclaimed acts from further afield. From a dancework exploring the journey of the pakana people, a cross-section of live music that includes Bach and Midnight Oil, to cement-mixer-monster-trucks, aerialists atop a dripping iceberg and high-powered lasers illuminating the landscape, the festival includes over 300 artists, across 40 venues. Free and ticketed events (mofo.net.au).

Tripod (picture by James Penlidis)

The Odeon (odeontheatre.com.au) will be buzzing with shows all summer – performers include Jon Stevens (February 3), Jungle Giants (February 4), Hiatus Kaiyote (February 5), The Paper Kites (February 11), Violent Femmes (February 17), and The Whitlams (February 25)

At Hobart’s Theatre Royal acts include Tripod (January 15), Bohemian Rhapsody Soundtrack Live (Feb 5), TedXHobart (Feb 12), The Big Chill (Feb 13), Wudjang: Not the Past (Feb 18 & 19), The King’s Voice (Feb 23), The Best of the Bee Gees (Feb 25), Mono: a three-person one-man show (Feb 26) theatreroyal.com.au

Get one of Timmy Trumpet’s songs in your head and you’ll struggle to shake the earworm. The Australian musician/DJ headlines Party in the Yard at The Goods Shed in Hobart on January 15. Tickets to the 18+ event are $78.98. There’s a second Party in the Yard event scheduled for February 5 featuring Tigerlily and Teddy Cream, tickets from $39.52 (tassielovesaturdays.com.au).

Killing Heidi on stage at the Red Hot Summer Tour in Queens Park, Sunday, February 23, 2020. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Music festival By the C makes its Tasmanian debut at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens on February 4, with Aussie legends Icehouse, James Reyne and Killing Heidi performing. Tickets from $129.90 for adults and $79.90 for kids aged 3-17 (ticketmaster.com.au).

Country music identity Lee Kernaghan will perform alongside Tasmania’s The Wolfe Brothers at Home Hill Winery on February 5 for Rollin’ Fields. Tickets are $85.17 (homehillwines.com.au).

Cygnet Folk Festival returns to the Huon Valley from January 14-16 with a huge line up of international, interstate and local acts – headliners include Albi & The Wolves, Holly Arrowsmith and Looking For Alaska. Day and weekend tickets available from cygnetfolkfestival.org

More festivals

Celebrate Tasmania’s garlic harvest at the Koonya Garlic Festival on the Tasman Peninsula on February 26 from 10am-4pm – there will be food and beverage stalls, garlic bulb competitions and talks by some of the state’s best chefs and gardening gurus. Tickets are $11.25, $6.07 concession, children under 16 are free. koonyagarlicfestival.org

Arts, culture and sustainability will be the focus at the Pangaea Festival at Buckland from February 11-14 (pangaeafestival.com.au). There are two-day ($290) and three-day ($330) tickets available.

Farewell summer at the Bridport Summer Party on Saturday February 26. The family-friendly event showcases local food and drinks and live music. Entry by gold coin donation. Meanwhile Anzac Park at Ulverstone will host Rotary’s Festival in the Park on February 27 from 10.30am-4pm (festivalinthepark.org.au).

King Island’s great cheese, beef, seafood, scenery and live music will be the focus of the Festival of King Island (foki.com.au) from January 28-29. There’s a 100m soap-accelerated plastic-sheet waterslide which weaves through the scrub surrounding the festival as well as a raft race full of unseaworthy vessels and a pie-eating competition that is not for the faint-hearted nor weak-stomached.

Wine

The Tasmanian Wine Festival returns to the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens from February 18-20, featuring more than 30 Tasmanian vineyards and winemakers, food and local music. Tickets from $37 (kids under five are free). taswinefest.com.au

Travis and Bree Klerck of Lake Barrington Estate ahead of the Tasmanian Wine Festival at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens. Picture: Chris Kidd

Wine lovers can take to the streets on a self-guided trail of bars and restaurants as part of the Urban Wine Walk(urbanwinewalk.com.au) on February 26. Participating venues include The Lounge by Frogmore Creek, The Stock Market Bar, The Story Bar, Suzie Luck’s and The Den. Tickets are $79.99.

Meanwhile new wine offerings include Lupin, a new wine bar at South Hobart (facebook.com/lupinfoodandwine) and a new cellar door at Mewstone Wines at Flowerpot (facebook.com/mewstonewines).

Celebrate nature

It wouldn’t be summer without a trip to the beach. Stroll along the sandy shores of Seven Mile Beach, Park Beach, Howrah Beach, Clifton Beach or Coningham. Build a sandcastle, collect shells and play in the rockpools. Walk or ride along the scenic path from Bellerive to Tranmere, check out the coastal walk from Seven Mile Beach to Lauderdale, or hike to Crescent Bay on the Tasman Peninsula (more info at greaterhobarttrails.com.au, tastrails.com or Parks and Wildlife’s 60 Great Short Walks app).

Wander through a sea of sunflowers and enjoy a day of sustainable gardening and wellbeing at Spring Bay Mill’s Sunflower Celebration on January 29. There will be workshops on topics like composting and fermentation as well as art therapy, flower arranging, live music and local food and drink. 10am-3pm. Tickets are $49 adults, $39 concession, $29 for locals in the 7190 postcode. springbaymill.com

South Cape Bay, South-West National Park, Tasmania, Australia - 11-16-2017: Amazing view from rocky cliffs to pretty bay with deep blue water on warm sunny day, ahead is southern ocean and antarctica credit: Tom Jastram/Shutterstock escape 5 December 2021 hotlist beaches

Take an Aboriginal walking tour of Hobart with takara nipaluna “Walking Hobart”. This 90-minute waterfront walk follows the route taken in 1832 by a group of 40 members of the Aboriginal resistance, as they progressed to the old Government House to negotiate an end to the Black War. Created by Nunami Sculthorpe-Green and Sarah Hamilton. Tours start on February 3 and run all year. Tickets are $50. blackledtours.com

A refreshing spot to cool off on a hot day is Snug Falls, a 4km return trail which descends through bushland into a fern-lined gully to a beautiful, flowing waterfall. A great spot for bird watchers. Russell Falls at Mt Field is another welcoming summer spot, with easy access for the whole family. Find more waterfalls at waterfallsoftasmania.com.au

Hit the road

Jump in your car, fill it with fuel, grab snacks, crank some tunes and you’re ready to embark on a summer road trip. You just need to decide which direction to head in. Consider Richmond, Port Arthur, Oatlands (check out the new Heartlands Larder heartlandslarder.com) or Geeveston. If you’ve got more time head to the state’s North-East and wander among the stunning sea of purple lavender at Bridestowe Estate at Nabowla (bridestowelavender.com.au) or explore the beauty of Tasmania’s East Coast beaches while visiting the new Freycinet Coast Patisserie at Craigie Knowe Vineyard (craigieknowe.com.au) and Little Swanport cafe/nursery/homewares store Me & Mum’s (meandmums.com.au) along the way.

EWBKN4 Stunning coastline along the Bay of Fires, Tasmania, Australia escape december 6 2020 cover story

Don’t have a firm destination in mind but have a love of beer, wine or fine food? Check out The Tasmanian Beer Trail (tasbeertrail.com), Tasmania’s Wine Trails (winetasmania.com.au/wine_trails), the Tasmanian Whisky Trail (taswhiskytrail.com), Tasmanian Cider Trail (tascidertrail.com) and The Cradle to Coast Tasting Trail (tastingtrail.com.au).